The Luxury Collection® and Designer Mercedes Salazar Unveil Homeware Collection

Mercedes Salazar Translates the Seychelles Into Homeware Inspired By North Island, A Luxury Collection Hotel

The Luxury Collection has announced its second collaboration with renowned designer and Global Explorer Mercedes Salazar, unveiling her first homeware collection with the brand. Inspired by her travels to North Island in the Seychelles, one of the newest additions to The Luxury Collection portfolio, Mercedes has created a vibrant, eye-catching collection of pieces for the home. Designed exclusively for The Luxury Collection, the items range from parrot placemats to cockatoo bread baskets and are available for retail beginning July 2021.

Mercedes Salazar x The Luxury Collection: North Island is inspired by the Seychelles’ bold colours and diverse wildlife. Each piece brings to life the authentic island experience, specifically drawing inspiration from the native Aldabra giant turtles, parrots and white-tailed tropicbirds. The hue-driven- collection is centred around the natural surroundings of North Island; bold pinks, blues, greens, and oranges reflect the exotic landscapes, fruits, and flowers on the island. Wicker candlesticks, vases, placemats, and baskets create a cohesive novelty piece for the home, reminiscent and reflective of the “barefoot luxury” of the North Island villas.

“The Luxury Collection’s hotels and resorts are all such unique destinations, and North Island is another example of exceptional harmony between the property and its surroundings,” said Mercedes Salazar. “The island is incredibly rich in biodiversity, and The Luxury Collection is able to showcase the destination’s commitment to preserve and cultivate the nature surrounding the hotel. From the vibrant colours of flora and fauna to the prints inspired by the exotic animals, North Island and its culture have a natural sense of authenticity – which I aimed to reflect in these new homeware pieces.”

Much like The Luxury Collection, Mercedes is appreciative of the natural world and strives to include it in her continual journeys. She has the enviable capacity to absorb immersive aspects of culture, with a true understanding possessed by a Global Explorer,” said Philipp Weghmann, Vice President & Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection. “Her contagious wandering spirit and deep comprehension of what it means to be a world traveller make her an incredible partner to translate these experiences into products that can be enjoyed at home every day.”

Mercedes Salazar x The Luxury Collection: North Island launches this month and will be available for purchase on www.luxurycollectionstore.comwww.mercedessalazar.com, and at select Luxury Collection properties, including North Island, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seychelles. 

Wreath Making Delivered launches three new designs to celebrate their fifth year of Christmas crafting experiences

Connecting through nature has always been at the heart of Wreath Making Delivered’s beautifully packaged Christmas craft boxes. Their expertly selected foliages are sourced directly from farms local to their south-coast HQs and delivered straight to front doors across the UK. Their natural, foliage led designs tap into a creative, festive flare whilst giving wreath makers a real appreciation for the beauty that nature brings to our lives – something that many of us have come to treasure through periods of isolation and lockdown.

We caught up with Jo, the founder of both Wreath Making Delivered and it’s sister company Columbia Creative (established 2013) to find out what to expect from WMD this Christmas; “we’ve all missed socialising with our friends, family and colleagues this year and here at Wreath Making Delivered, we have the complete package to help you spend a couple of hours of shared festive fun with each other. We deliver all the materials required for each of your party to make their own luxury Christmas wreath at home while you follow our pre-recorded online video tutorial together”.


This year Jo’s been busy developing three inspiring new designs that will be delivered across their portfolio of festive wreath making products. Taking pride of place on Wreath Making Delivered HQ’s front door, the earthy textures and frosty tones of their new Nordic Wreath invites the spirit of Christmas in the mountains. The Rose Gold wreath glistens with an explosion of fun through contemporary metallics and pinks. For those looking for something more classic, the dried fruit and spice-laden Traditional Wreath oozes Christmas through bold colours and warm tones.


The three new designs, which are available for pre-order now, will be delivered from Friday 27th November onwards, just in time to bring some festive cheer to the last weekend of lockdown.
The workshop is packed floor to ceiling with pinecones, eucalyptus, foliage, ribbon, and everything else that’s placed into each and every box by Jo’s family team as Wreath Making Delivered prepares for their busiest season yet. There are up to 10 different types of foliage included in each of the six luxury wreaths designs. Jo is working behind the scenes on all the preparation and planning that goes on before customers receive their wreath crafting boxes – from sourcing, sorting, packing and delivering, this is an impressive logistical operation!


For those looking for more of an interactive experience, sister company Columbia Creative’s workshops will be moving from their usual London venues and instead, delivered online as live-virtual workshops. Their florists will be facilitating workshops in much the same format as they have done at their in-person events for the past eight years, just with a virtual twist! These workshops will last 1.5 hours and are available at various dates & times throughout December.

Ticket details & information >> columbiacreative.co.uk

Stylish garden accessories for an Indian Summer – bring the holiday vibe home

Armadillo Sun

We have our fingers firmly crossed for an Indian Summer this year, but regardless of the weather (and who knows what we’ll end up with in the UK), you can still bring that summery festival feeling home with the help of East London Parasol Company and Armadillo Sun. These great accessories will bring a splash of vibrant colour to liven up a grey day, and provide a seriously stylish, comfortable space to chill out in.

East London Parasol Company marries gorgeous fabrics and handcrafts from across India and Indonesia to create decadent garden parasols with matching tablecloths, cushions and napkins. Each parasol and cushion is made traditionally by hand, and ELP holds a strong ethos of keeping artisans in work, creating high quality goods and sustaining their craft. With block printed patterns ranging from parrots to palm prints, founder Lucy Ferguson’s motto of ‘live colourfully is reflected in designs of hot pinks and lime greens, through to oranges, sky blue and canary yellow. Finishing touches of carefully chosen tassels, pom-poms and pretty, delicate trims adorn each, making a real statement in any outdoor setting. 

East London Parasol Company

Armadillo Sun was founded by interior designer, Caroline Lomax. Her love of the sun, the summer and outdoor living inspired her to create a collection of outdoor seating, furniture and accessories that don’t just stand out but that offer unbelievable comfort and can stand the test of time.

Knowing that outdoor furniture needs to be tough as well as beautiful, all Armadillo Sun products are created using Solution-Dyed Acrylic fabric which is 100% weather & stain proof. Not only that, the Armadillo Sun beanbags and accessories have been designed to provide the utmost comfort, support and durability, which are easily cleaned and ultimately look great in any indoor or outdoor setting.  

Originally, this fabric was designed for use within the marine industry, but Armadillo Sun has now cornered the market to become the only UK manufacturing based company using this ‘magic’ fabric, meaning that consumers simply won’t find a stronger or more stylish outdoor furniture anywhere. All of the Armadillo Sun products are engineered to resist mould and mildew. They are stain resistant, so wine, coffee, ice cream or chocolate is easily wiped off.

Gone are the days of dragging your garden furniture and accessories in and out of sheds, or having to store it indoors, because Armadillo Sun furniture keeps the look and feel from the first day you purchased it, no matter what our famously unpredictable British summer throws at us.

Armadillo Sun